arugula

Overview

Arugula is a leafy green that grows best in cooler temperatures. They have thin leaves with pointed edges. Arugula is rich in nutrients and are often used for salads, sandwiches, garnishes, and more. Arugula can grow to be about 1 foot tall and their leaves can be harvested at any size. Read on below to learn more about growing, harvesting, and cooking arugula.

• Level of Difficulty: Easy to Grow!

• Plant Spacing: 2 - 6 inches

• Days to Harvest: 28 days from transplant

• Plant Care Basics:

  • Sun - Full/ Partial Sun

  • Soil - Humus rich, well-drained soil

  • Water - Water when the top inch of soil becomes dry

Planting + Growing

Growing arugula in the garden is easy when planted under the right conditions. Arugula likes full sun to partial shade. Your soil should be loose enough to drain well. Arugula can grow crowded, but leaves will be smaller and crowded plants may tend to bolt and go to seed more quickly. To optimize growth and a bountiful harvest, follow the spacing guidelines below.

Starting from Seed. If you're starting from seed, plant 1 - 2 seeds about 1/4 an inch down in a small container of soil. Water the soil and place it in a sunny area. Check the soil daily to water if necessary. Once your seeds sprout and have true leaves, transplant them outside or into a larger container with about 2 - 6 inches of space in between each plant.

Starting from Seedling. If you picked up an arugula seedling from Sweet Water's seedling pick up, plant the seedlings into soil, allowing 2-6 inches of spacing between each plant.

Container growing arugula. Arugula will grow in an 8-inch pot. In larger containers, like a garden bed, you can plant more than one arugula, 8 - 12 inches apart from each other.

Other notes...companion plants. beans, beets, carrots, celery, cucumber, lettuce, onion, potato, spinach

Harvesting

You can begin to harvest your greens when your arugula plants are around 6 inches high. Cut the outer leaves first to allow the tender inner leaves to grow. Be careful to not damage the plant’s center.

Always take the largest, oldest leaves and leave the young ones to continue growing. If you harvest carefully, the new leaves will grow and provide leaves to harvest for many weeks. Rinse off arugula leaves and store them in the refrigerator in ventilated plastic bags.

Cooking

• More info coming soon....

Links to More Resources

• More info coming soon....